HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT MICKEY MOUSE? In his 85 years of animated existence, ever-youthful Mickey Mouse has lived a memorable life. Now Disney historian Jim Korkis chronicles that life in mesmerizing detail. From Mickey's humble beginnings on Walt's Disney sketch pad through his dozens of films to his embodiment of the Disney dream and his popular appearances in the Disney theme parks - it's all here, in The Book of Mouse. From Steamboats to Theme Parks Until now, Mickey Mouse's life story was scattered across decades of books, articles, oral histories, and crumbling documents found only in the Walt Disney Archives. In The Book of Mouse, Jim Korkis brings together all of these essential elements for the first time into a narrative that celebrates this very special Mouse. Starting with the real story of Mickey's creation, Korkis weaves well-researched facts with charming, insider stories and anecdotes. You'll learn about the hidden secrets of Steamboat Willie, Mickey's first film; the astonishing success of the first Mickey Mouse Club; the Mickey cartoons never made; the history of the Mickey costumed character in the theme parks (and the people inside them); the special relationships Mickey had with presidents, movie stars, playwrights, magicians, and even astronauts; and plenty more jam-packed in over 300 pages. In addition, the book features a complete list of Mickey's film and television appearances, with plot summaries, production notes, and trivia. The Many Manifestations of Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is a film star. He's a television star. He's the star of best-selling books, cartoon strips, and comic books. His image sells millions upon millions of dollars in merchandise. He's the leader of the band, the central figure in the Disney universe, and perhaps the most recognizable character in the world. Everyone knows Mickey. But there's so much you don't know about Mickey. This is just some of what you'll discover in Jim Korkis' The Book of Mouse: <ul>
<li>Debunking of the many myths still told about Mickey Mouse</li> <li>Complete, annotated Mickey Mouse filmography (1928-2013)</li> <li>The rise and rise of Mickey's merchandising empire</li> <li>History of Mickey Mouse at the Disney theme parks</li> <li>What Mickey meant to Walt Disney, in Walt's own words</li> <li>Dozens of bite-size "Mouse-ka-Tales"</li>
</ul> Plus answers to: How tall is Mickey? Where does he live? Why does he only have four fingers? Is he married to Minnie? And so much more! The Book of Mouse is a biography, ethnography, and filmography in one, the world's first comprehensive, single-volume resource about Mickey Mouse. With its hundreds of fun stories, Mouse-ka-Tales, and Mickey milestones, the book is sure to enlighten and delight Mickey fans of all ages. Become the Mickey Mouse expert in your family!

The Book of Mouse: A Celebration of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse

Travel

Korkis, Jim

Williams, Don "Ducky"

Specialty Travel

Theme Park Press

Disney History from the Source
The Walt's People series is an oral history of all things Disney, as told by the artists, animators, designers, engineers, and executives who made it happen, from the 1920s through the present.
Walt’s People: Volume 13 features appearances by Virginia Davis, Reg Massie, George Bakes, Milt Neil, Al Dempster, Joe Grant, Woolie Reitherman, Becky and Carla Fallberg, Jean Erwin, Jules Engel, Fred Kopietz, Donald Duckwall, George Sherman, Floyd Gottfredson, Richard Todd, Roy E. Disney, Norman "Stormy" Palmer, Paul Kenworthy, Hunt and Chris Hibler (about their father, Winston Hibler), Boyd Shaffer, Fess Parker, Dave Spafford, Bob Moore, Blaine Gibson, X Atencio, Don Iwerks, and Tony Baxter, plus articles by John Canemaker and Pete Docter.
Among the hundreds of stories in this volume:
<ul>
<li>Pixar's PETE DOCTER, the Oscar-winning director of Up and Monsters, Inc., examines the forgotten career of John Sibley, Disney's "Tenth Old Man", whose animations still dazzle today.</li>
<li>FESS PARKER relates how a bit part in the classic 1950s giant ant monster movie Them! netted him the role of Disney's Davy Crockett.</li>
<li>DON IWERKS, son of Walt's first partner Ub Iwerks, chats with Michael Broggie, son of Walt's first Imagineer, Roger Broggie, about their respective careers following in the footsteps of their fathers.</li>
<li>VIRGINIA DAVIS recalls her role as "Alice" in Walt Disney's Alice Comedies, a series of short films from the early 1920s that predated Mickey Mouse and were equally as important as Mickey in putting Walt on his path to success.</li>
</ul>
The entertaining, informative stories in every volume of Walt's People will please both Disney scholars and eager fans alike.

Walt's People : Volume 13: Talking Disney with the Artists Who Knew Him

Biographies & Memoirs

Ghez, Didier

Arts & Literature

A SEARING, SCATHING DISNEY MEMOIR From 1935-1950, story artist Homer Brightman worked on the biggest Disney projects: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, the Oscar-winning short film Lend a Paw, and many others. A dream come true? Not really. Brightman's life in the Mouse House during Disney's Golden Age of Animation was tarnished by self-serving, power-hungry animators; by draconian policies and broken promises; and by Walt Disney himself. Will the Real Walt Disney Please Stand Up? Homer Brightman first encountered Walt Disney in the men's room of the Disney Studio in 1935. Another employee had just complained about Walt, not knowing that Walt himself was standing at the next urinal, and by lunchtime that employee found himself on the street, and out of a job. Over the next fifteen years, Brightman experienced the highs and lows of working for a driven, complex, sometimes ruthless businessman and creative genius, Walt Disney, a man that other Disney artists—but not Brightman—saw as a smiling "uncle" or as a caring, patient mentor. Brightman presents the good and the bad, as he experienced them firsthand, and lets you ponder the contradictions of Walt's character. Fun and Games and Politics in the Mouse House When the Disney animators weren't creating classic films, they were pulling pranks—sometimes mean-spirited pranks—on one another. Brightman recounts how he and Harry Reeves once vandalized Roy Williams' (who later become the "Big Mooseketeer" on The Mickey Mouse Club) black limousine, and how Williams got back at Reeves that night by flattening the tires of his car. The prank includes improbable appearances by H.G. Wells and Charlie Chaplin. When not pranking, the animators were politicking: Brightman goes into detail about the toxic political culture at the Disney Studio, where animators would jump to their feet and hide their work whenever another animator came around, steal credit for one another's ideas, and compete—often shamelessly—for the fickle favor of Walt Disney. The politics reach their crescendo in Brightman's nailbiting account of the Disney Studio Strike of 1941, and how Walt retaliated against those he felt had betrayed him. In Life in the Mouse House, you'll read about: <ul>
<li>Brightman's penniless start at the Disney Studio on a cold day in 1935</li>
<li>What really caused the Disney Studio Strike in 1941, how Walt lost his cool, and the sad aftermath</li>
<li>The foibles and eccentricities of many well-known Disney artists, animators, and executives</li>
<li>Walt's ill-fated "Field Day", his trip to Mexico, and his uncanny talent for physical storytelling</li>
<li>What Brightman did after he left Disney in 1950, despite Walt telling him he'd never work in the business again</li>
</ul>And much more! Homer Brightman wrote Life in the Mouse House in the 1980s. He died in 1988, and his book was lost until its rediscovery last year. When Brightman wrote the book, most of the people in it were still alive. He didn't want to offend them with his unflinchingly honest, provocative narrative, and so he changed the names of such luminaries as Ken Anderson, Perce Pearce, Ted Sears, Harry Tytle, and Roy Williams. Nearly thirty years after Brightman's death, we can now reveal the identities of characters like Muggle (Ken Anderson), Snojob (Perce Pearce), Crock (Card Walker), and over three dozen others. You'll read about these beloved Disney legends—including Walt Disney himself—as you've never read about them before. Come share Homer Brightman's life in the Mouse House!

Life in the Mouse House: Memoir of a Disney Story Artist

Becattini, Alberto

Brightman, Homer

My Boss, Mickey Mouse
Come read Amber Sewell's Disney College Program diary and share her successes and her failures, her moments of delight and her moments of despair, and learn what happens when the pixie dust settles and the guests have gone home.
As part of her job, Amber not only had to flash a smile and chat with awestruck children, but also deal with amorous Imagineers, drunks in Downtown Disney, bleeding kids and hysterical parents, screaming roommates, conceited Cast Members, and power-hungry supervisors. Throughout, she kept her cool, chronicling in Amber Earns Her Ears what it's like to work "backstage" and how Disney ensures its millions of guests always come back for more.
Even though the pay is low, the rules rigid, and the experience at times disillusioning, Amber still found her job magical. Her book is as much a coming of age story as it is a compelling behind-the-scenes glimpse of Walt Disney World.
Follow Amber as she:
<ul>
<li>Soldiers through Disney's extensive Cast Member training, including the famous Traditions class</li>
<li>Struggles to master Disney's picky procedures for food prep and quick service at Epcot's Electric Umbrella</li>
<li>Stands in the broiling Florida sun behind a cart selling Captain EO merchandise to the disinterested</li>
<li>Seeks the reason why someone would stand in the broiling Florida sun behind a cart selling Captain EO merchandise</li>
<li>Shares tips for how you can ace your College Program application and interview, and work for the Mouse yourself</li>
</ul>
From private, after-hours tours of iconic attractions like the Haunted Mansion to hauling sacks of rotting food to a grease pit behind the Electric Umbrella in Epcot, Amber Sewell saw the Mouse at his best and at his worst, and tells all.
Amber Earns Her Ears is the first volume in the popular "Earning Your Ears" series. If you've never been in the Disney College Program, this is the next best thing!
NOTE: This is the second edition of Amber Earns Her Ears. It has new cover art, an improved layout, and a better edit. The content has not changed.

Amber Earns Her Ears: My Secret Walt Disney World Cast Member Diary (Earning Your Ears)

Sewell, Amber Michelle

Memoirs

Disney History at Its Best
No one knows Disney history, or tells it better, than Jim Korkis, who presents an inaugural set of 28 stories from his Vault of Walt. Whether it’s Disney films, Disney theme parks, or Walt himself, Jim’s stories will charm and delight Disney fans of all ages.
The best-selling Vault of Walt series has brought serious, but fun, Disney history to tens of thousands of readers. In this, its first volume, former Disney cast member and master storyteller Jim Korkis weaves his home-spun, entertaining tales, from the early years of Walt Disney to the present.
Step inside the vault with Jim to hear about:
<ul>
<li>Warner Bros. animator Chuck Jones hated the four months he worked at the Disney Studio because the one job he wanted he couldn't get: Walt's</li>
<li>Renie Bardeau, Disneyland's chief photographer, who took shots of the famous and the powerful who visited the park</li>
<li>FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover's increasing distrust of Walt Disney—and Walt's growing FBI file</li>
<li>The unlikely collaboration between Walt and surrealist painter Salvador Dali</li>
<li>How Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev threw a tantrum when he wasn't allowed to visit Disneyland</li>
</ul>
Discover these and many other new tales of Disney history, as only Jim Korkis can tell them, in The Vault of Walt: Volume 1.
Then be sure to check ALL the volumes in The Vault of Walt!

The Revised Vault of Walt: Unofficial Disney Stories Never Told (The Vault of Walt)

Arts & Photography

Disney Miller, Diane

Graphic Design

Brer Rabbit. Uncle Remus. Song of the South. Racist? Disney thinks so. And that's why it has forbidden the theatrical re-release of its classic film Song of the South since 1986. But is the film racist? Are its themes, its characters, even its music so abominable that Disney has done us a favor by burying the movie in its infamous Vault, where the Company claims it will remain for all time? Disney historian Jim Korkis does not think so. In his newest book, Who's Afraid of the Song of the South?, Korkis examines the film from concept to controversy, and reveals the politics that nearly scuttled the project. Through interviews with many of the artists and animators who created Song of the South, and through his own extensive research, Korkis delivers both the definitive behind-the-scenes history of the film and a balanced analysis of its cultural impact. What else would Disney prefer you did not know? Plenty. Korkis also pulls back the curtain on such dubious chapters in Disney history as: <ul>
<li>Disney's cinematic attack on venereal disease</li> <li>Ward Kimball's obsession with UFOs</li> <li>Tim Burton's depressed stint at the Disney Studios</li> <li>Walt Disney's nightmares about his stomping an owl to death</li> <li>Wally Wood's Disneyland Memorial Orgy poster</li> <li>J. Edgar Hoover's hefty FBI file on Walt Disney</li> <li>Little Black Sunflower's animated extinction</li> </ul>
Plus 10 more forbidden tales that Disney wishes would go away. Whether you're a film buff, an armchair academic, or a Disney fan eager to peek behind Disney's magical (and tightly controlled) curtain, you'll discover lots you never knew about Disney. With a foreword by Disney Legend Floyd Norman, Who's Afraid of the Song of the South? is both authoritative and entertaining. Jim Korkis is the best-selling author of Vault of Walt, and has been researching and writing about Disney for over three decades. The Disney Company itself uses his expertise for special projects. Korkis resides in Orlando, Florida.

Who's Afraid of the Song of the South? And Other Forbidden Disney Stories

Humor & Entertainment

Movies

This edition of Disneylanders out of print.

Disneylanders

Kate Abbott

Teen & Young Adult

Disney History at Its Best
No one knows Disney history, or tells it better, than Jim Korkis, and he’s back with a new set of 28 stories from his Vault of Walt. Whether it’s Disney films, Disney theme parks, or Walt himself, Jim’s stories will charm and delight Disney fans of all ages. The best-selling Vault of Walt series has brought serious, but fun, Disney history to tens of thousands of readers. Now in its second volume, the series features former Disney cast member and master storyteller Jim Korkis’ home-spun, entertaining tales, from the early years of Walt Disney to the present.
Step inside the vault with Jim to hear about:
<ul>
<li>A ride through Epcot's Spaceship Earth for a closer look at graffiti, bare breasts, and evil twins</li>
<li>The bare-knuckles battle between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers over Mary Poppins
</li>
<li>The real story of the Jungle Cruise, why Walt's plan for live animals was shot down, and how Walt once got cheated by an impatient skipper</li>
<li>The life-long hatred between Walt and Bugs Bunny creator Friz Freleng caused by a boil on Freleng's butt</li>
<li>How Roy O. Disney took over a demoralized company after his brother's death and built a fantasyland from swampland</li>
</ul>
Discover these and many other new tales of Disney history, as only Jim Korkis can tell them, in The Vault of Walt: Volume 2.
Then be sure to check ALL the volumes in The Vault of Walt!

The Vault of Walt: Volume 2: Unofficial, Unauthorized, Uncensored Disney Stories Never Told

Disney's Grand Tour: Walt and Roy's European Vacation, Summer 1935

DISCOVER A FORGOTTEN CHAPTER IN DISNEY HISTORYIn 1935, as the artists and animators at the Disney Studio toiled mightily on the animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt and Roy Disney traveled with their wives to New York and boarded the luxury liner Normandie to begin their "grand tour" of Europe.With the full cooperation of Walt's late daughter Diane Disney Miller, Didier Ghez spent years researching this seminal but little-known event that became so vital to the continued growth of the Disney company right through the creation of Disneyland two decades later. His book, Disney's Grand Tour, is the culmination of that research.Walt Disney's European VacationThe early 1930s was a crucial time for Walt Disney: despite the global success of Mickey Mouse, Walt knew he couldn't rely on his iconic alter-ego to sustain his studio indefinitely. He needed new triumphs. So he staked his creative future and his cinematic fortune on Snow White. But the pressure was driving Walt to another nervous breakdown; he needed a vacation.Walt's brother Roy suggested a trip to Europe with their wives. The trip would take the Disneys from England to France, Germany, and Italy, and then back home. While the couples intended to relax and enjoy the comforts of Old World Europe, Walt also had business in mind: his grand tour was not just about taking in the sights but about building the Disney brand in Europe and bringing back to America ideas and source material for new films, new cartoons, and far down the road, a new theme park.Your Travel Itinerary with WaltIn Disney's Grand Tour, famed historian Didier Ghez traces the footsteps of Walt and Roy Disney as they board the Normandie in New York and sail to England, then travel through France, Germany, and Italy prior to boarding another luxury liner, the Rex, for the trip home. But the book is no mere travelogue: you will be at Walt's shoulder as he conducts Disney business; meets some of the luminaries of his day, including H.G. Wells and Louis Lumiere; attends gala events staged in his honor; and recharges his creative powers for the astonishing Disney projects ahead.Your trip with Walt and Roy includes:First-class cabin aboard the luxury liner Normandie bound for England12 days in England and Scotland, where Walt experiences one of the biggest thrills of his life10 days in France, where Walt receives a medal from the Legion of Nations for Mickey Mouse - or so he thinks6 days in Germany and Switzerland, where Walt attends a stage show that may have inspired the party scene in Snow White12 days in Italy, where Walt strikes a Mickey Mouse deal with Italy's biggest publisher and flushes out criminals who were defrauding himPersonal meetings with Mussolini and the Pope - or maybe notExpert analysis of and insight into the major milestones of the tourAnd much more besides! In addition to the many "small and delightful surprises" that noted animation historian (and author of The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney) Michael Barrier mentions in his preface to the book, Disney's Grand Tour features over 200 notes for those inclined to dig deeper into the story. It also contains a list of the hundreds of books that Walt personally selected in Europe for transfer back to the Disney Studio library. These books inspired Disney artists and animators for decades.So pack your bags. The Normandie whistle blows. Embark with Walt Disney and join him on a grand tour of Europe!

THE STAR-STUDDED LIFE STORY OF A FORMER MOUSEKETEERLonnie Burr never wanted to be a Mouseketeer. When Disney offered him the ears, he turned them down. He was already an established child star, and he didn't want to take a chance on some oddball project involving "Mouseketeers". The next day Lonnie's mom got a call from Disney: "If you don't accept our offer, your son will never work in this town again." Lonnie took the offer. He became famous, his face on magazine covers, the idol of millions of fans, across the world. And then, in 1959, it was over.What does a Mouseketeer do when the Clubhouse closes?Lonnie Goes to HollywoodLong before Walt Disney drafted Lonnie into the ranks of the original Mouseketeers, he was starring in films and television shows as a child actor. He appeared on The Colgate Comedy Hour, and had a recurring role on one of the first "sitcoms", The Ruggles, now lost except for a few episodes and clips. (Lonnie costarred on that show with Margaret Kerry, the live model for Tinker Bell.)The Mickey Mouse Club changed everything. Lonnie and the other Mouseketeers became national stars. But behind the scenes, politics and jealousy and young hormones ruled the clubhouse, along with the growing realization that the fortune Disney made from the show and from merchandising its stars was not trickling down to the Mouseketeers themselves. When Disney took The Mickey Mouse Club off the air in 1959, none of the Mouseketeers except for Annette would ever achieve such fame again - but in Lonnie's case, his life had just begun, and what a life he led.The Accidental Mouseketeer Moves OnWith his ears off, Lonnie has scores of stories to tell about his film roles, his television and stage appearances, his sexual relationships, and topics ranging from existentialism to Disney choreography. He describes in uncompromising detail his appearances with other Mouseketeers at Disney events, and how those events never seemed to come off as planned.Lonnie's stories include:His sweet, 1950s romance with Annette FunicelloBackstage and on the road with other MouseketeersA cross-country publicity trip with Mickey Mouse on AmtrakShooting a film with Elvis - was the King cool?Working with Steven Spielberg and David MerrickRemembrances of Mouseketeers past (and passed on)Plus over 100 exclusive photos!The Accidental Mouseketeer is both tribute and tell-all. Lonnie was a Mouseketeer for only a short time, but he never really took off his ears, and behind all of his stories, behind all of the success he found on his own, there's still the little kid, singing and dancing in black-and-white, in front of a generation of Americans who wanted to be just like him.

The Accidental Mouseketeer: Before and After the Mickey Mouse Club

Burr, Lonnie

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